The Lowdown On “Ethnic” Names

Have you ever used a different name or a fake name when you are ordering food or making reservations? Why? Perhaps because your name for some reason, perplexes most and no one can pronounce it correctly.
Some people with “ethnic” names choose to take on a more Anglicized or Americanized version of their own name to avoid confusion among the public. For example, Carlos Irwin Estevez took on the stage name, “Charlie Sheen.” Jackie Chan’s real name is actually Kong-San Chan.
Some parents will often avoid giving their children ethnic names so they won’t be made fun of or have someone mispronounce it. However, in 2010, New York Times reported that immigrants are less likely to change their names now, because of how multicultural the U.S. has become.Read the entire article on NPR’s website here.